Have you heard about the uproar over the Pope's comments?

Question

There are riots going on in several countries by followers of Islam, the "religion of peace". The Pope's comments sparked protests and rioting. Is this an indication of the intolerance of this religion, Islam, that a person can't even speak about it without causing a riot? After seeing this, is Islam really a "religion of peace"?

Answer 1

Can't convince me of how peaceful Islam is.

Just look at the irony in Muslims being able to desecrate a Christian Temple in Jerusalem by spreading feces on images of Christ? But a Christian leader (the Pope) can’t remind people of what 14th century Byzantine emperor Manuel Paleolous II said about the profit Mohammad several hundred years ago. It wasn’t even the Popes own words or thought. He was repeating what Paleolous II supposedly said. . What’s with the hypersensitivity anyway?

The Muslims can dance in the streets; shout and yell; raise their fists all they want to but I do not believe the Pope owes Muslims an apology for anything.

Some have contended the terrorists are a form of radical Islam and a small minority of the faith. They say the large majority of Muslims are a peaceful people. I am beginning to wonder about these claims when I see the reported millions in the streets protesting what the Pope repeated.

Two faced or what? Is Islam a peaceful religion or a violence based religion? By what I am seeing and hearing, I would have to conclude the latter.

Answer 2

The Pope was out ofline to single out any religion or group and to quote or comment on any saying that is not from this century and not in current text to date as it has been not stated since that time for a reason. With the position the Pope holds he is wrong for singling out anyone or group no matter who it was or what religion other than the traditional catholic that he covers. Islam does not use the statement to date that the Pope commented about. He should have known and respected that. Even the Pope is not perfect. I feel he should ask for forgivness to all the Islam and to God for what he commented on. Islam is very touchy and does not have the freedom of speech our country does so it is a delicate matter to them. The Pope should respect that in all sincerity, and maybe so should we. It wasnt just coming from you or I it was coming from the POPE and that is what makes this a big deal.

Answer 3

i am a strict catholic well, at least I'm forced to be, the new pope is what we call a transmittal pope he is close to death in his old age they just needed more time to find the next pope also no religion is truly a "religion of peace" because they all are very strong in their beliefs so they can't be accepted and without any acceptance there is no peace so there is no such thing as a "religion of peace" it is only the thought of that

Answer 4

Those Muslims are too STUPID to listen to what the Pope really said. He quoted someone from centuries ago and made it clear that it was not his own opinion. These people have such a chip on their shoulder that they twisted his words thus proving what an intolerant lot they are.

I love our Pope and admire him for his intelligence and kindness. He is too polite to insult anyone. I am not like him. I am not scared to say that Islam is a misguided faith whose only purpose is to teach its brainwashed followers to hate to maim and to kill.

Answer 5

islam is a "religion" straight from hell. them sons of bit ches don't want peace. and to hell with all of them. PERIOD. !!!

Answer 6

Hey buddy, if I catch you slandering my peaceful religion of love and tolerance again, I'll cut your head off on video and mail it to Al-Jazeera!

(I'll mail the video of course, not your head. The postage would be too expensive.)

Answer 7

Yes, Islam is a religion of peace. But if you're a bigot, it would be hard for you to see that.

Answer 8

i don't like new pope he had connections with nazis in ww2 and he gets on the internet and has his on blogs......... jeez.....
Pope Paul 2 rest in peace

Answer 9

Of course Muslims are in an uproar. It is a tenet of Islam that any time the religion is attacked that all Muslims have a duty to defend it. Violence gets attention. Muslims are adept at using violence and getting media attention. I wonder what level of protection the Swiss guards at the Vatican provide? What kind of weapons do they have?


Some contemporary evangelical Christian leaders such as Jerry Falwell and Jerry Vines have called Muhammad "a terrorist" and a "demon possessed pedophile who had twelve wives". Daniel Pipes sees Muhammad as a politician, stating that "because Muhammad created a new community, the religion that was its raison d'etre had to meet the political needs of its adherents." By contrast, Pope Benedict quoting Manual II is quite mild.

Pope Benedict made the comments in a speech at the University of Regensburg which was probably a written speech so the comments were likely deliberate. The timing just before Ramadan may also have been deliberate. (Dates for Ramadan 2006 (or the Islamic year of 1427) are September 24th thru October 23rd.) In my opinion, the quote was appropriate for the times of the Crusades. The quote also seems applicable to Islamic jihhadists today.

Here is what Robbie Burns wrote and I think it can also be applied to jihaddists of today although it was written for Christians:
"On Thanksgiving For A National Victory"
Ye hypocrites are these your pranks
to murder men and give God thanks?
Desist, for shame proceed no further
God does ne want your thanks for murder.

Yah, I know, there is no compulsion in religion (2:256) and Islam is a peaceful religion. Taqiyah.

The one page essay by Dr. Walid Phares, "Islamic concept of Al-Taqiyah to infiltrate and destroy kafir countries" explains how a convert will become a terrorist:
http://www.fisiusa.org/fisi_News_items/news109.htm

Phares states, "It [taqiyah] is done to prevent the new converts from seeing the real face of Islam; at least until their faith or mental conditioning is strong enough to make them turn against their own country and people."

Not all Muslims blow up things, yet "jihad in the cause of Allah" "jihad fee sybil Allah" is "fard ayn" "compulsory duty" for all Muslims. Why? There are rules from the Quran for combattive jihad. Read this:
http://www.notislam.com/id8.html
What does the tape from Gadahn mean? Does anyone realize that Muslims are supposed to "dawa" "invite others to Islam" before jihad?

According to al-Mawardi an 11th Century Shafi'i jurist:

The mushrikun [infidels] of Dar al-Harb (the arena of battle) are of two types: First, those whom the call of Islam has reached, but they have refused it and have taken up arms.… Second, those whom the invitation to Islam has not reached, although such persons are few nowadays since Allah has made manifest the call of his Messenger…it is forbidden to…begin an attack before explaining the invitation to Islam to them, informing them of the miracles of the Prophet and making plain the proofs so as to encourage acceptance on their part; if they still refuse to accept after this, war is waged against them and they are treated as those whom the call has reached…

In the Hidayah, vol. II. p. 140 (Hanafi school):
It is not lawful to make war upon any people who have never before been called to the faith, without previously requiring them to embrace it, because the Prophet so instructed his commanders, directing them to call the infidels to the faith, and also because the people will hence perceive that they are attacked for the sake of religion, and not for the sake of taking their property, or making slaves of their children, and on this consideration it is possible that they may be induced to agree to the call, in order to save themselves from the troubles of war… If the infidels, upon receiving the call, neither consent to it nor agree to pay capitation tax, it is then incumbent on the Muslims to call upon God for assistance, and to make war upon them, because God is the assistant of those who serve Him, and the destroyer of His enemies, the infidels, and it is necessary to implore His aid upon every occasion; the Prophet, moreover, commands us so to do."

Islam is insidious, it encroaches on a culture slowly and deliberately. You may be interested to read a document which discusses the degrees of Islam in great detail (50+ pages) -- "From dawa to jihad - the various threats from radical Islam to the democratic legal order":
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/netherlands/dawa.pdf

Among Muslims there are those who:
a) jihad in the path of Allah with their wealth and their lives (including those who sit at home but give asylum to mujahidin 4:74) = true Muslim
b) those who sit at home (and do not give asylum to mujahidin or jihad in the path of Allah)
c) the handicapped (does not count as a category)

In the Quran 4:95 it says:
The two are not equal: those who sit at home (and do not join the fighting) _ unless they have a reason; they are handicapped _ and those who [jihad] strive hard in the path of Allah with their wealth and lives. Over those who sit at home, Allah has excelled and elevated to a higher honor those who strive hard with their wealth and lives.
Compared to those who sit at home, Allah will award a far greater reward to those who wage a struggle.

8:74 Those who believed, left their homes and waged a struggle for the cause of Allah as well as those who helped and protected them are really the true believers. There is forgiveness for them and a generous rewards.

49:15 The (true) believers are actually those who believe in Allah and His messenger and then do not waver (and do not entertain doubts). With their wealth and their lives, they strive for the sake of Allah. Such are truly the sincere ones

Killing (qitl) and jihad in the cause of Allah is the hallmark of true Muslim believers. It is not a matter of moderate or fanatic. It is the distinction of a true believer or a rebel.

4:76 Those who believe, do fight for the sake of Allah, while those who reject faith (Islam) fight for the cause of ‘taghut’ _ (all rebellious forces aligned against Allah). So, fight against the minions of Shaitan. Feeble indeed is the wily guile of Shaitan!

Does this include atomic weapons?

8:60 Acquire and prepare all the (military) strength you can muster, including the finest trained horses (and other military wares). With that, you would daunt and deter the enemies of Allah _ your enemies, and others besides them. You do not know them, but Allah (surely) knows them. Anything you spend in the path of Allah will be returned to you in full. You will not be wronged (at all).

2:216 Warfare (for the sake of Allah) has been ordained for you, though it is not something you like. It is possible that the thing you detest might just (turn out to) be good for you. It is possible that the thing you like (the most) might in reality be bad for you. Allah knows (all) while you know nothing (at all)!

I hope that these verses from the Qur'an can give you and others insight into the mind of a Muslim believer and the peaceful religion of Islam. Perhaps you may read the entire sura from which they were extracted so you can get the entire context of the verses.